Airport help.....

[4nzic1]

Ok seasoned cruisers,

 

Which would you do? I'm sailing out of Miami and I'm trying to decide whether to fly directly into Miami or going a little cheaper to Ft. Lauderdale. From Ontario, Calfornia to Miami with taxes the ticket is $207 one-way and on Southwest the ticket total price is $170 with taxes. Well, after doing the math I figure that I'll only be saving about $7. Although ticket price to FLL is less by the time I do a shuttle to and from Port of Miami there isn't really that big of a savings and I should just fly into Miami. Let me mention that the reason for the one way ticket is that I have previous credit with SWA so I just used that for my return trip post cruise from Fort Lauderdale (I'm thinking of just taking the cruiseline's shuttle service for $15 back to FLL airport post-cruise).

 

Where I need you guys' advice is whether I should keep my currently booked hotel room for Oct 15/pre-cruise. If I take a red-eye it would get me into Miami at a time of either 12am, 9:23am or 11:02am. I know the dangers of same day flyncruise but I'm figuring that with a 12am or 9am arrival time I should be 'safe' from any potential problems of missing the ship. BUT my concern is hanging out for such a long period of time before sailing. You see, why I'm even considering this is because to get these lower priced tickets I will either be waiting around for hours in the airport to check into a hotel or waiting around in an airport to go to the port. I'm figuring why waste the hotel money pre-cruise....just take a good book to read and wait around to go directly to the port. :) What do you think?

[Ashland]

There is nothing wrong with flying in day of the cruise..We fly in on a redeye from LAX-FLL all the time usually land anywhere from 6-9am depending on flight connection or not..We just go to the port and are the first ones in line and the first ones on the ship..you would be surprised at how many people do the same thing as can be seen by how quickly the line gets very long....If you need a shuttle to or from FLL to MIA cruise port check www.ridesas.com but if you land in MIA they are not allowed to pickup there due to contracts..Enjoy whatever you decide will work out best for you !!

[MedicKen]

FLL is a great option and usually less expensive. If you decide to do FLL contact a car service, we used SAS, for the ride to MIA. It is a short one.

[wiskt]

If the price difference is only about $20 I would say just go direct to Miami and avoid the hassle of getting to and from FLL. I only do the FLL trip when we have a bunch of people coming in at the same time and can split the transport. Otherwise paying the extra money for less hassle to MIAMI is better.... in my opinion

 

If oyu do FLL I've used SunshineShuttle (dot) com they are clean reasonable and prompt

 

I'm also looking at flights for a NOV cruise out of Miami. also about the same prices from Newark, but Im hoping PHL prices go down. 207 is a great price from LAX especially since thats what it is from EWR

[cb at sea]

Fly into MIA--it's 20 mins. from port and faster, easier and cheaper than transport from FLL.....a cab is $24 from airport to pier.

[Kikkycat]

I'm going to be in Miami the day before our cruise, but plan on getting to the terminal around 10:30-11am for our 4:30pm sailing. If your plane arrives 9 or 11 am the day of sailing, you can go directly to the port from the airport as soon as you've collected your bags. Arriving at midnight would be very difficult, at least for me. I'd consider that almost "day before" and would be looking for a place to lay my head for a few hours so I can enjoy the beginning of the cruise without needing a nap!

[4nzic1]

Thanks. : ) Do you know how early you can go to the port and stand in line? I see from the sas site that airport and hotel pick up starts at 11am.

[1st mate]

We are trying to decide to fly into Miami or FLL next April. We are sailing on Majesty out of Miami (one stop), but we can get a direct flight into FLL.

 

We have sailed out of both ports but have flown into the respective airports. We like to fly direct if possible. But unsure of how to travel from FLL to Miami and back, How far it is(cost of a cab or other transport) or would RCCL transport be the best???????????

 

What a "major" decision!!??

 

Thanks for any and all sugestions.

[4nzic1]

We are trying to decide to fly into Miami or FLL next April. We are sailing on Majesty out of Miami (one stop), but we can get a direct flight into FLL.

 

We have sailed out of both ports but have flown into the respective airports. We like to fly direct if possible. But unsure of how to travel from FLL to Miami and back, How far it is(cost of a cab or other transport) or would RCCL transport be the best???????????

 

What a "major" decision!!??

 

Thanks for any and all sugestions.[/QUOT

 

What too makes it so hard for me is because I've never done the fly into a port that I wasn't sailing from. I always departed/returned from the city of my cruise. At least you have more time. :) I have to make a decision really soon.

[Cruzin-K]

Thanks. : ) Do you know how early you can go to the port and stand in line? I see from the sas site that airport and hotel pick up starts at 11am.

 

I sailed on the Majesty on Friday. I took a taxi from my hotel to the port at 10:30. They started letting people through security to check in at 11am. There was a small crowd of about 100 people (if that) so when the guy opened up the line to security he had the Diamond members go first, then Platinum and then everyone else (no special treatment for Gold :rolleyes:)

 

They opened boarding around 11:15 or so. For those of us who were checked in (about 50 people by then) the guy called for Diamond Members first, and then everyone else just followed up the escalator to get our pictures taken for the Seapass cards, then it was Welcome Aboard photos and onto the ship.

 

I assume the line gets longer as the day goes on but I've yet to arrive at a port after 11am so I wouldn't know what those lines are like :p

[4nzic1]

Thanks for the info. :)

[4nzic1]

Thanks. :)

[boo214]

We are trying to decide to fly into Miami or FLL next April. We are sailing on Majesty out of Miami (one stop), but we can get a direct flight into FLL.

 

We have sailed out of both ports but have flown into the respective airports. We like to fly direct if possible. But unsure of how to travel from FLL to Miami and back, How far it is(cost of a cab or other transport) or would RCCL transport be the best???????????

 

What a "major" decision!!??

 

Thanks for any and all sugestions.

definitely take the direct flight. FLL is only about 25 miles from the port so it should be an approx 1/2 hour drive (if not a little less) to the port. i would take a cab or car service or shuttle from there.

[MOSusan]

We flew into FLL in March, we had a party of 6. After checking RC's transportation prices, I started doing some research. RC was going to cost $29 per person one way. I was able to book a 10 passenger streach limo through South Florida Limos for $150 including tip. Only saved $24, but it was waaaaay better than riding a bus!

 

The best part was that only my husband and I knew that I had arranged for a limo - it was a complete surprise to all the others. I told my kids that they shouldn't get used to it!

[Ashland]

We flew into FLL in March, we had a party of 6. After checking RC's transportation prices, I started doing some research. RC was going to cost $29 per person one way. I was able to book a 10 passenger streach limo through South Florida Limos for $150 including tip. Only saved $24, but it was waaaaay better than riding a bus!

 

The best part was that only my husband and I knew that I had arranged for a limo - it was a complete surprise to all the others. I told my kids that they shouldn't get used to it!

How did you get back to FLL ? That would be $300 rt...

[MOSusan]

RC transfer would have been $348 round trip, so $300 limo round trip was less expensive than the bus!

 

We did splurge a little, our flight didn't leave until 4:40 pm, and the thought of spending the entire day at the airport would have been a rotten way to end our cruise. So we did a 4 hour rental for the day, it was $75 per hour plus a 20% tip. We told the driver that we wanted him to show us his town so he took us around Miami. He showed us an exclusive neighborhood - homes of the stars and pointed out who lived where. He also took us to south beach (took a photo in front of Dash) and to Ft. Lauderdale beach.

 

I had looked into renting a van which is what we would have needed with 6 people and luggage so we could sight see and it was going to cost over $400, plus the hassle of picking it up and dropping it off.

 

It just seemed to be the best way to spend our day in Miami. If it had just been the 4 of us, it would have cost more per person for the Limo. But since we had six it made economical sense.

 

Plus - we had a great memory.

[MOSusan]

If you calculate flying into Miami and each of our party (6) checking one bag that amounts to $150.00.

 

If you fly into FLL and fly Southwest - you've just paid for your Limo.